She'll Make Me Happy
by UsagiMonster
Summary: Picking up right where The Muppets (2011) left off, how will Kermit and Miss Piggy learn to reconcile their relationship after all these years? Read and find out! R&R Plz!
1. Prologue

**PROLOGUE**

The past two weeks had been intense. It had been grueling. It had been chaotic. At times it had been emotional even. But in the end, it was all worth it. By some string of luck, not only did all of our fans show up to support us, but Tex Richman had finally agreed to give us our studio and theater back.

If it weren't for Gonzo's fingers slipping at just the right moment, and Fozzie following with just the right bad joke, all of us probably would have been on the street. But we were lucky, like we always were. As Tex was being pulled away on a stretcher to the ambulance, we could all hear him laughing hysterically and saying we could have our studio back. Free of charge. Needless to say, we were all more than a little thrilled by this. We were overjoyed.

I didn't really know what to say when everyone came up to me afterwards and congratulated me, giving me pats on the back and everything. Well, I pretty much told them that they needed to thank Walter more than me. After all, none of this would have happened in the first place if it weren't for him. And of course they did, and at that moment, I don't think I've ever seen a Muppet so happy in my entire life.

"Everyone," I announced when we were all back in the theater, "I can't tell you how proud I am of all of you... of all of us. It's been a long time since we did anything like this, and I'm just really amazed at how well everything came together. We really did it." All of my friends were looking at me, looking to me for guidance just like they had in the past. But there was only one person on my mind. One person that I couldn't wait to talk to when this was all over.

"I know that we've all been working really hard the last few days, and we just put on one of our most... impressive shows ever..." I looked around at all of them. I was so happy to see all of my friends together in one place again. "So listen, I want everyone to take the weekend off. Take a few days to recoup, and we'll meet back here on Monday at nine AM. What do you say?"

Everyone agreed and soon began to disperse. Some were staying in town, others were already preparing to stay at the theater again. Me? I had something else in mind. But first I had to find _her_. No doubt she was already in her dressing room getting ready to leave, and knowing her, it would be a while before she'd reappear again. But I was more than happy to wait. I knew it'd be worth it for Miss Piggy.

I think saying that I was surprised when she showed up that morning at the theater would be an understatement. If it weren't for the time crunch of our rehearsal, or even the fact that she was giving me the cold shoulder all day, it would have been wonderful to catch up on old times or to at least work out one or two things between us. It wasn't until later that evening when we finally got a chance to talk that things seemed to fall into place.

I finally realized what I wanted. I wanted her to stay. Not just for the Muppets, but for me more than anything. And when I asked, she did. After that, I didn't even care that everyone we knew and everyone watching the telethon saw us kiss. I was just happy to have her in my life again.

Miss Piggy has always been a great influence in my life. I knew from the beginning that there was something I loved about her. Something I adored, something that amazed me, but I was never able to really put my finger on it or put it into the right kind of words. I'm not really good with words in these cases, as you've probably figured out. It always felt like there was something in particular I was missing. But regardless, there's no denying that there have been many things I've always admired about her.

For starters, ever since the day we met, I've always thought she was very, very attractive, if not the most beautiful thing I'd every laid my eyes on. Even in those moments when she's just woken up or hasn't applied any makeup, she still manages to take my breath away. She's also very, very strong, and I don't just mean physically. Miss Piggy has proven time and time again that whenever she puts her mind to something, anything is possible for her. I know it has made her violent and overbearing at times, but you can't help but admire her perseverance and fearlessness. I've come to learn over the years that at the end of the day she just wants to be loved and accepted just like the rest of us. She's just always had a funny way of showing it.

And it wasn't just her beauty and spirit that I fell for over the years. It was also how much she cared for me that has always left me speechless. So much so that I didn't always know how to react to it. Whenever I've needed it most, she takes care of me, whether I wanted her to or not. And as much as she loves to be a diva in front of the cameras and everyone else, in private she can be a very giving person when she wants to be.

Probably the most touching thing about her? She always is and always has been proud to say that she loves me. It doesn't matter to her that I'm short, green and cold-blooded. To her, I was always _her_ frog, no matter how many times I've denied her, or how many times I've hurt her.

It took me a long time to realize this, but I think the reason I've kept my distance over the years is because Miss Piggy has had a tendency hurt me quite a few times in the past as well. She's left the group unexpectedly to do commercials, made demands that were downright unreasonable, and she's even left me hanging out to dry a number of times in order to take care of her personal needs. Sure, not long after she'd quickly lash back and try to peruse me again, but a part of me always felt it was best to not get emotionally involved.

I've always tried to keep our relationship professional, especially when we worked on the show, or movies, or whatever project there was. But regardless of my professionalism or our disagreements, if there's anything Miss Piggy and I have ever shared, it's history, and we've still always cared for each other very deeply. And despite my best efforts, there have been several moments when it was very hard to resist her. Sometimes when we were alone, I would still open myself up to her. I would let her hold my hand or steal a few kisses, and once in a while... we'd make love.

Well, I guess in my case it was more like we got carried away. As selfish as it sounds, some days I took advantage of knowing that she wanted to be with me. Sometimes it was her beauty that set me off, sometimes it was her charismatic spirit. Sometimes both. Sometimes it was my own vulnerability and needing that feeling of someone who cares about you to be close. Sometimes we'd be in the middle of a heated argument, and that would pretty much do it, too. It always seemed to just happen in the moment.

Don't get me wrong. Whenever we did it, it was quite wonderful. The only problem was every time we finished, I couldn't help but feel a great sense of guilt. I had taken advantage of her own vulnerability when I knew she wanted more than I was able to offer. Well, more than I was willing to offer, at least. I've heard people say that Kermit the Frog has no flaws and he's perfect in every way, but believe me, nothing could be further from the truth. Kermit the Frog is anything but perfect.

Old habits die hard, and things continued like that for a long, long time. Then finally, that dreadful day came that I always wish I could take back more than any other.

Right after we finished filming _The Muppets Take Manhattan_, Piggy came into my office one day with a smile on her face and a photo in her hand. A photo from the set of us as the bride and groom.

"Kermie! Our first photo as a married couple!"

That was the morning I found out that the priest on the set was in fact real and had married us in front of everyone. She had attempted this once before, unsuccessfully on _The Muppet Show_. But this time she was successful, and it was the last straw for me. I felt violated. I got angry. I went off on her. I told her that she was fired and she would never, ever, _ever_ be my wife.

Everything I had said I immediately regretted. For the first time in Muppet history she was silent. I'd never seen Miss Piggy look so shocked or distraught. I watched her begin to cry in front of me, tear up the photo, and then storm out of my office.

"Piggy wait I-"

I couldn't go after her. I was shocked, too. Shocked at myself for letting that come out like it did. I had been too harsh and deserved every bit of guilt I was feeling. I spent the rest of the afternoon thinking about what had happened and realized that while Piggy had been unreasonable, as she normally was, it didn't mean I should have reacted the way I did. I figured that she would eventually come around and we'd somehow work it out like we always did, but not this time. This time she didn't come back.

A few days later, I still hadn't seen or heard from her. I was starting to get worried that something had happened to her. I thought about calling her, but quite truthfully, I was scared to.

"Chief?" Scooter asked me that afternoon. "Have you talked to Miss Piggy? We haven't seen her at the theater lately."

No one had said anything yet about the news of our faux marriage.

"She's… she's just taking a few personal days," I told him. "I'm sure she'll be around soon." But I think I was trying to convince myself of that more than him.

Then I came across something I never expected to see. That same day when the mail came to the theater, I received annulment papers from the Los Angeles City Hall. For both Miss Piggy and myself.

I locked myself in a room so that no one could see what I was reading. Very carefully I read the fine print, trying to take it all in. Granted I was a little relieved, but I also couldn't help but think that something else was going on behind all of this.

This was way too much for me to take in. First I find out Piggy secretly wed us, and now she's sending me annulment papers without even notifying me about it? Well, that actually does sound like Miss Piggy, but I couldn't help but wonder: Was this what she was doing the whole time? Is this why she hadn't come by the theater? Or was there another reason she was hiding from me?

As I continued to read the document, I finally came across the "Reason of Action" part. What had she written?

_Fraud – I tricked him into marrying me. I'm putting him out of his misery once and for all._

I felt my heart leap inside my throat when I read this. I immediately grabbed the extra set of keys she had given me to her condo, and I hurried for the door.

"Scooter, take over! I'm going to Miss Piggy's!"

"What? But, Cheif, what's going on-"

I didn't have time to stick around and settle Scooter's confusion. I got myself over to her place as fast as I could, and when I finally arrived, I knocked on her door frantically. I had to talk to her.

"Piggy?" I said, hoping she would hear me. "I know you're in there. Please, open the door!"

At first I didn't hear anything. I tried again.

"Piggy?! Please, this is not the time to be childish! I need to speak to you!"

Nothing. Not even the sound of footsteps or movement from the other side of the door. Only dead silence.

That's the word that scared me. Dead. What if... what if she had taken the plunge and ended _her_ own misery?

"Alright, I'm coming in," I said out loud, hoping she had heard me.

I took the keys out and unlocked the door. If she could do things without my permission, I was going to do the same. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to know that she was alright.

As it finally unlocked, I braced myself for the worst and swung the door open.

Nothing. That was it. There was absolutely nothing. The entire space was bare. All of the shelves, all the furniture, all the pictures, everything that had once occupied Miss Piggy's home, all of it was gone.

I walked through the familiar space, trying to grasp what I was looking at. Was I dreaming? I was just here a few weeks ago and now it looked as though the place had been cleared for months. I remember walking through the rooms and halls in silence, still finding nothing. With every room I visited, more and more memories of conversations, gatherings, meetings, and... togetherness came back to me. I just couldn't believe that all of a sudden there was nothing here.

"Hey, you Kermit the Frog?"

I immediately turned when I heard the voice from behind me. It was coming from an elderly gentleman in a jumpsuit that was standing in the doorway. I could only guess that he was the super.

"Yes?"

"I thought that was your voice I heard. Miss Piggy left this for you."

He presented me with a small jewelry box, something that looked like Piggy would have owned. I took it from him, still a little stunned by the recent discovery. He turned to leave.

"Wait a minute! W-what happened? Where's Miss Piggy?" I pleaded with him. I couldn't have sounded more desperate.

"I don't know," he said, turning back to me. "She cleared out a few days ago. She was in a big hurry. I think she might have moved to Paris or something."

"Paris...?"

He continued on his way, acting like it was no big deal. I decided to shake it off. He wasn't worth it. Opening the box, a small note and a brand new set of keys were inside. I quickly read the note:

_Kermit,_

_I'm going to live my life where I will no longer be a bother to you. Consider this my goodbye gift. Adieu, mon Capitan._

_-Miss Piggy_

I could smell her perfume coming from the box. It smelled just like her. I gulped when it had finally all caught up to me. She was gone for good.

Under the note I noticed an address had been written. You can probably put the pieces together from there. I found the Bel Air house she had built for us. For a long time I didn't know what to make of it, but as time went on I began to look after it as best I could. I guess a part of me hoped that one day she would come back, and it would be here waiting for her.

I soon realized that my actions not only jeopardized my relationship with one of my closest friends, but it also jeopardized the future of the group. Once everyone at the theater caught on that Miss Piggy wasn't coming back, everything started to fall apart. We began to loose our audience. Fozzie decided to leave for a solo career. The Electric Mayhem went on tour. I did everything I could to find work for everyone who stayed behind, but in the end they left, too.

I had a lot of desperate moments where I thought of contacting her. I could have asked, no, begged her to come back for the sake of the group, but something stopped me every time. The things I had said to her kept haunting me, and I couldn't bear the thought of what she might have said if I tried.

Months went by. Before long years went by. I did and said some things that I'm not proud of, and eventually everyone went their separate ways. Finally, I signed those annulment papers, and a week later I got the word that the annulment was finalized. Legally, the marriage between us never existed, and I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders. I just wanted it all behind me. I didn't want to think about her anymore.

If only it were that simple. After everyone left, I had a lot more time to myself. More time to think about how things had fallen apart, and more time to think about how I had let Piggy and everyone else down. I tried not to blame myself for what had happened, but I was unable to shake the feeling that I could have somehow prevented this from happening.

I had come to realize that what kept Piggy around for so long was the fact that I had always given her false hope that maybe, just maybe we could be together one day. I had taken her for granted and selfishly abused that hope time and time again. Whenever we needed her for the show or for our movies, I had done what I could to keep her around, but I guess there's only so much a small frog can do at the end of the day. In the end my selfishness drove her away.

I had no right to ask her to come back. I didn't deserve to have her back. But she did come back, and when her lips touched mine for the first time in years, I finally realized that final, wonderful thing about her that I loved so much but was always too blind to see. It was her loyalty to me.

Yes. Miss Piggy may be a handful, but I could always count on her when I needed her most. When we walked out of the Muppet Theater that evening, I don't think I've ever felt so defeated in my entire life. But as we were leaving, Piggy had her hand rested on my back the entire time as we all walked down the aisle and past the silent audience members. It reminded me of how faithful and true she had always been to me. She stood by my side. She has_ always_ stood by my side.

From that alone, I knew that I could never let her go again.


	2. Chapter One

**CHAPTER ONE**

The day had been long, and yet unimaginably fulfilling, and the Muppets knew it all too well. While the atmosphere of the theater would have normally been chaotic, tonight they were peaceful and calm, exhausted from the day's events. The noises of the theater had died down some time ago, and they were all finally preparing to rest for the night in the hammock beds they had prepared on stage.

However, Kermit the Frog was one of the few exceptions. He continued to stand at his stage manager's desk, patiently waiting for the diva pig to appear from her dressing room. He looked at the clock on the wall, seeing that it was just passed one o'clock in the morning. He then looked at the schedule of the evening performances, even though the show was over with. It almost felt like he was doing anything he could to keep himself from leaving that spot.

His eyes wandered to the wedding photo of himself and Miss Piggy that had been torn in two down the middle. Before they sang _Rainbow Connection_ earlier that night, they had placed the photo halves together, side by side, and then it had been rested and stayed in that spot on the desk ever since. He gently stroked the two halves and sighed, placing them together so that it looked as though it had never been torn.

He heard a dressing room door finally open and close up the stairs behind him, bringing him out of his trance. He quickly removed his hand from the photo and turned away, pretending he didn't notice the sound of her heels coming down the stairs. He soon heard her approaching, and he took a deep, silent breath.

_Here goes_, he thought to himself.

"Kermie?" Miss Piggy said, placing a gloved hand on his shoulder.

"Oh, yes, Miss Piggy," Kermit stammered, turning to her.

He briefly noticed that she was now wearing her grey jacket, buttoned down the middle, and under it her tight, red dress that went down to her knees. She also wore a pair of polished black heels, and a pair of white, satin gloves on her hands. It was the same outfit she had worn that morning when she arrived at the theater. Once again, her hair was up in golden locks as well. Needless to say, she looked stunning all over again.

"What were _vous_ thinking about just now?" she asked with concern. "You looked like you were such deep thought."

Kermit cleared his throat. "Oh, it's nothing, Piggy. I um… I was actually going to ask... where are you planning to stay tonight?"

"Oh..." Piggy said, thinking about this. "Well, I actually hadn't thought that far ahead. All of my things are here, so-"

"Hey, hey Kermit!" Fozzie suddenly came in between them. "Listen, I think I've got a great idea for a new act in the show!"

"Well, Fozzie," Kermit said, "I don't even know if we'll be doing-"

Piggy gave an irritated huff at the interruption. The bear and frog heard this, turning to her.

"Oh, ha ha, sorry Piggy," Fozzie said sheepishly with his signature laugh, then turning back to Kermit. "Well real quick, I thought maybe we could talk about some new jokes I came up with. Here's one I just thought of. Did you hear the one about the two antennas that met on a roof and got married? The ceremony wasn't much, but the _reception_ was excellent! Ah, ah? Waka waka!"

"Oh, brother," Miss Piggy muttered.

Kermit agreed. He wasn't impressed. "Yeah... well we can talk about that on Monday, Fozzie, but I'm taking the weekend off like everyone else."

"Ah! Say no more! Oh but one more, one more! Don't you think if we didn't have geometry, wouldn't life is _pointless_? Ah, ah? Waka waka!"

Kermit was starting to get annoyed. Even if it was good to have Fozzie back, this wasn't the right time.

"Very good, Fozzie!" he said, keeping a straight face. "We'll talk on Monday, okay?!"

The cheerful bear soon walked off. As soon as he left, Kermit turned back to the lady pig. "Sorry about that, Piggy. What were you saying?"

"Oh, I was just going to say that I didn't have anywhere in mind yet, but I can have Maurice pick everything up and I'll stay at one of the hotels for now."

Piggy turned away from him slightly, pretending to not look concerned.

"Oh, well, Piggy you know I gave everyone the weekend off, right?"

"Yes, I heard." She was avoiding his gaze.

"Well, I was thinking... It seems silly for you to stay in a hotel when technically you already have somewhere to go home to. I thought maybe you'd want to... you know..."

Kermit was nervous, and he was beginning to struggle with his words. But Piggy knew what he meant, and she very quickly blushed as she turned to face him. It was a good thing the powdered makeup covered her crimsoning cheeks, or else he would have noticed her blushing as well.

"Kermit, are you suggesting I come home with... _vou_?" she asked softly, pretending this was a complete surprise.

"Well, I just meant... _You_ built it. It is _your_ house after all. I guess I was just thinking it only seems right if-"

"It was supposed to be _our_ house," Piggy interrupted, correcting him in defense.

Kermit nodded. "Yeah, well, I just thought... you came all the way for me, it only seems right that you let me make it up to you by-"

"Kermit," Piggy said, stopping him, "I told you before. I did not come here for _you_, I came here for _them_." She motioned to the other Muppets in the theater.

Kermit scrunched his face at this, not sure that he fully believed her. After all, she wasn't even making eye contact with him and she did speak with a proud huff in her voice. But then again, that was just Piggy being Piggy, always needing to be the one with the upper hand and needing to prove that she was right all along. He shook his head and sighed. Some things really just don't change.

"Alright Piggy, if you say so," he said, humoring her.

"And besides, if you think on my first day back here I'm going to let you take advantage of-"

"Piggy, Piggy, I didn't mean it like that," Kermit said, quickly defending himself. He looked around, making sure no one else was listening. "I just meant... you came all this way to support the _show_... Well, it _is_ really late and I just thought... isn't it time you... came home?"

Kermit was trying to be sweet but knew that didn't quite come out the way he wanted it to. Piggy was still eyeing hims wearily. He knew that look, and he knew what she was thinking. He looked down, clearly embarrassed.

"Look, I know we haven't seen each other in a long time," he said as sincerely as he could. "Let me at least try to make it up to you by giving you a proper, private place to stay and a chance to explain everything?" He was holding her hand now, and he felt relieved that she was not trying to release herself from him. "I don't plan on any funny business. I'm going to be good and take care of you this weekend. I promise. Okay?"

Kermit looked into her eyes again, but Piggy didn't respond. She just listened and looked at him thoughtfully.

"Look," he continued, "why don't you get your things, and I'll have 80's Robot bring the car around. I'll meet you outside in a minute."

Without even getting her approval, Kermit gently released her hand and walked passed her, leaving her standing at the desk alone.

Piggy watched the frog leave, realizing now that she might have gone a little too far with her recent accusation. She thought about what a wonderful gentleman Kermit had been to her that evening, and she knew that everything she had just thrown at him he probably didn't deserve. In reality, she _had_ secretly desired to be alone with him, even if it was just to talk. But in her stubbornness, she also refused to openly act like everything was going to be fine, just because he said it would be.

All she really knew now was that he wanted her to stay... for him. She had missed him terribly, and hearing those words earlier made her agree to do so without a second thought. His confession before the song had even left her speechless. She did want to stay, and she wanted to hear what more he had to say to her. She wanted things to be alright and she wanted to be with him more than anything. But the day's events had led her to make him believe otherwise, as she did not want him to think that she could be persuaded by him so easily. Things had of course turned out alright in the end, but right now, she still wanted him to fight for her, like she always wanted him to.

And because of her stubbornness, she had just opened her mouth and separated them all over again. Now it was too late, and he was backing out a little too fast for her liking. She sighed, kicking herself mentally. She knew that he would probably be keeping his distance for a while, and it was all her fault. Maybe once they talked later things wouldn't be so awkward. After all, he was the one inviting her to stay at their place, wasn't he?

Piggy turned in the direction of the dressing rooms when she suddenly noticed the wedding picture on the table. The two halves were right next to each other, as if it had never been torn.

_Had he... been looking at the photo while he waited?_

She briefly stroked her fingers over it, and her heart ached a little at the thought of him keeping her half of the photo after all these years.

She soon brushed it off, knowing Kermit would be waiting if she didn't come outside soon. Without another thought, she slowly, and solemnly, began her walk up the stairs to fetch her things.


	3. Chapter Two

**CHAPTER TWO**

Once Miss Piggy's bags were safely packed in Kermit's rolls-royce trunk, the beat up '80s Robot was soon driving the couple home. The streets of Hollywood were dark and nearly deserted, and luckily they drove through with little traffic since it was so late. Kermit sat in his usual spot in the passenger seat, while Piggy sat in the back, gazing out the window.

There was a very quiet but obvious tension that had evolved in the car since they left. More than likely it had been prompted by the last conversation they had. The frog and pig kept to themselves and didn't say a word. Only '80s Robot spoke, once in a while spouting out directions as they made turns and changed streets, acting as their driver and GPS.

In the silence, Kermit found himself occasionally looking up into the rearview mirror, checking on her. Miss Piggy did not see him do this as she continued to watch the streets and buildings go by with a vacant expression on her face. He knew that she was probably feeling vulnerable and taking in the surroundings of her former home. He thought of saying something, but soon found that he did not have the courage to do so.

"Turning right onto Sunset Boulevard," the '80s Robot announced.

As soon as Piggy heard this and saw the familiar, famous street appear around the corner, she felt a huge burst of nostalgia hit her like a ton of bricks. Her face immediately lit up as all the places of dining, shopping and entertainment passed by her window. They began to bring back many more wonderful and bittersweet memories than she was able to fathom. Of course, several of these places had changed since she was here last, but the setting itself was still enough to fill her heart with ache.

"Does it feel good to be home?" Kermit finally asked at one point, turning back to her and trying to break the ice.

At first she didn't hear him, but when Piggy realized that Kermit had said something, she turned to meet his gaze.

"What?" she asked.

"Does it feel good to be home?"

"Oh, yes... yes of course."

They nodded to each other with forced smiles, before Piggy turned back to the window to once again let her mind wander down memory lane. Kermit knew he wasn't going to get much else out of her, and turned back to the front as well.

The ride up to the house didn't make them feel any better. As soon as '80s Robot announced that they were turning onto Bel Air Road and entering the high-class residential community, Piggy realized it would only be a few short minutes before they were home. She was feeling nervous, but she wasn't sure exactly why. She had been wanting and wishing for this since forever. To be alone with Kermit in the house that was meant to be theirs'.

Still, her heart began to beat faster at the thought. Maybe the idea of being alone together created more anxiety than she had anticipated? Or maybe it was the fact that she hadn't seen the house in so long. Maybe she was just immensely curious to see how much it had changed? Or maybe...

Before another thought could come into her head, Piggy saw that the car was approaching the entryway of the mansion home. Only a second later, her eyes noticed the gold-colored, steel Kermit and Miss Piggy faces that decorated the front of the ornate gates.

She grimaced as she looked at them. Maybe it was her excitability talking, but Piggy suddenly realized what a tacky choice it was to put those there and decided they must come down immediately. Whatever changes Kermit had made to the house, they would have to go with them as well.

As if her anxious energy was rubbing off on him, Kermit was also beginning to realize that this would be the first time they would be in the house together. The two of them. Alone. He gulped at the thought. He was nervous. Was it a good idea to bring her here after all?

The car was now coming up the driveway, and a minute later finally parked close to the front door of the dark house.

"You have reached your destination," the '80s Robot announced. "My guidance ends here."

Kermit turned back to Piggy, and he smiled at her nervously, but warmly. "Welcome home, Piggy."

She smiled back at him. "Yes... It's good to be home."

They unloaded the car together, with the help of the robot chauffeur. Being the small frog he was, Kermit struggled for a bit and couldn't believe how heavy the bags were.

_What on Earth did she pack, the Eiffel Tower?!_ he thought to himself. But he kept his composure and carried everything as best he could, leading the way to the front of the house.

As they approached the front door, Miss Piggy took a deep, excited breath as Kermit reached to unlock it. She began to wonder what the house would be like now. She always imagined that Kermit would have taken the time to update the interior over the years. Maybe he had remodeled it more to his liking. Or maybe he had changed it completely, out of fear of being haunted by the past.

But as the door opened, she found that it met none of these expectations. The house was dimly lit, and to her surprise, it looked the exact same as the last day she saw it. Perhaps a little more dusty than before, but everything seemed to be preserved in the exact spot she had left it in. It was odd and a little eerie to see it like this, but in a way it was also comforting. He had left it just the way _she _had wanted it.

Looking around, Miss Piggy noticed the interior setting was somewhat outdated now, but it was still very homey and welcoming, as she had always intended it to be. She saw the white sheets that still hung loosely over some of the furniture. Even more hung over the paintings that decorated the walls. Including the one of her, as if it had shielded the frog from a painful past.

"Piggy, are you tired?" Kermit asked, turning to her.

"Mm..." the diva responded with a nod.

As they made their way to the staircase, Piggy caught glimpse of the Muppet paintings that hung in the main hallway. They were the only ones that weren't covered, and she smiled as she passed them. They were all of Kermit's best friends, and she had commissioned them right before the house was completed because she knew he would appreciate them. It was possible that the sheets had fallen on their own over the years, but Piggy was somewhat convinced that Kermit had uncovered them on his own. Possibly to comfort him if no one else was able to.

When they finally reached the master bedroom upstairs, for once Piggy's expectations were fulfilled as she saw that this room had not changed either. Everything about it was as inviting as she remembered it. The walls, the curtains, the furniture, it was all the same.

The bed was still there, too. It looked completely untouched, as if it had been waiting for her for all these years. The comforter was a calming pale blue, and the sheets were a cream white color. There was a very tastefully decorative headboard, but no footboard. And several decorative pillows had been set together at the head of the bed, each varying in shades of blue and white. Miss Piggy looked at it and sighed. She couldn't wait to curl up under the warm sheets.

Looking at the room, it suddenly occurred to Kermit that Piggy had originally meant for this to be _their _room, and he began to wonder again wether it was such a good idea to have brought her here. But when he looked up, he saw that she had already set down her things and was making herself at home. He gulped, knowing it was too late to say anything now.

"Piggy," he said as he set the rest of her bags down, "it's really late, so I guess I'll be taking off and turning in..."

She stopped what she was doing but did not turn to face him.

"I'll be staying in the room just down the hall," Kermit continued. "You remember where that is, right?"

The lady pig turned to him with a smile. "Yes, of course Kermie." Whatever he wanted, she really didn't wish to object to it. He was probably right in the end. For now, at least, it would probably be best that they slept in separate rooms.

"Ok..." Kermit said as he turned to leave. "Well, I'll see you in the morning then."

"Kermit?"

He stopped and turned back. "Yes, Piggy?"

She smiled as she approached him. "I just wanted to say that... I'm very, very proud of you... for everything. For getting everyone back together and saving the theater."

Kermit nodded his head to the side and chuckled. Her support suddenly made feel proud as well, though he knew he didn't deserve the credit.

"Well," he replied, "be sure to thank Walter when you see him. None of it would have happened if it weren't for him."

Piggy nodded. "Yes. I suppose I wouldn't be here either if it weren't for him."

Kermit's smile slowly faded, seeing that she was right. If it weren't for Walter, he wouldn't have realized how much he needed her in his life. If Walter hadn't found him two weeks ago, she wouldn't be right here, standing before him.

Knowing this, Kermit took a brief second to take in her presence. He examined her elegant beauty. The way her clothes stylishly hugged her body. The way her curly hair framed her face so perfectly. The way her blue eyes seemed to sparkle and look at him with wonder. He still couldn't believe that she was really here.

He suddenly realized that she was moving closer to him. In the brief second that he allowed this, Kermit could have sworn that Piggy was leaning in to kiss him. But before he had a chance to find out, he nervously dodged it.

"Good night, Miss Piggy," he said formally, and calmly, as he turned to leave the room.

Once he had left and shut the bedroom door behind him, Kermit stepped away and leaned up against the wall for a long moment. Much longer than she would have known, in fact. He knew he had just left Piggy standing there and felt like a truck had just hit him. He didn't even know for sure if she had really tried to kiss him. For all he knew he had just left her standing there for nothing.

Regardless, he had promised that he would be good and he had to give her space. If she kissed him now, he knew he wouldn't be able to hold himself back. Even if she was willingly reaching herself out to him, he had to make sure that they _both _kept their distance. If they rushed into this, Kermit was certain it would only lead to disaster. He wasn't going to screw this up like he had done in the past, and that was final.

Miss Piggy, on the other hand, felt like a complete fool. She still stood in the same spot he had left her, staring at the door and feeling that she had just crossed a line. The truth was, she _had_ tried to lean in to kiss him, but it wasn't supposed to be a romantic kiss. She had only meant it as a friendly thank you or a kiss good night, not something that would make him run off. She touched her fingertips to her lips, regretting the attempt she had just made.

_Stupid Piggy, stupid! _She thought to herself. _Look what you did!_

She only hoped that she could soon tell him that her intentions were harmless and that she didn't wish to scare him away. If anything, she only wanted to protect him. She couldn't let the past happen again. Not after they had come this far. They _had_ to talk sometime soon. They just had to.

Well... maybe tomorrow.


	4. Chapter Three

**CHAPTER THREE**

It felt good to be in water again. Most of the time, Kermit enjoyed the comfort of a bed, but being a frog, once in a while it was good to spend the night in the water to keep his amphibian body moist, just like he had done back home in the swamp. And tonight, he needed it more than ever.

He settled down in the round, pond-shaped tub, relaxing himself on the backrest wall. He let the warm water around him soak his skin, feeling like he was able to collect himself for the first time in weeks. No one was here to bombard him or bring more grief on his shoulders, and he could finally relax. He lightly splashed the water, and then he looked up at the lily pad wallpaper in the dim light.

He smiled and shook his head. He had always appreciated that Piggy had gone through the trouble of making the house not just to her liking but also to his. Not only did all the bathrooms suit the habitat of a frog, but there was also the Stone Canyon Reservoir with a natural pond just up the street a ways, so she had built the house where he could always be close to water.

There were also the many shades of green that decorated the house. The spacious rooms that he could study or write in. Or even hop, if he wanted. The paintings, posters and pictures that had been created by both his and her memories...

Kermit heard the sound of pipes squeaking and then water running from somewhere in the house. Piggy must have decided to take a shower in the connected bathroom of the master bedroom. He couldn't blame her. Warm water seemed to be the best cure for any exhausted body right now.

He shifted uncomfortably and tried to shake the thought of her out of his head. He knew if he kept her on his mind, there was no way he would get any sleep tonight. He had spent many sleepless nights by himself with her on his mind, and this was not going to become one of those nights. He deserved to rest, and not even she was going to stop him from getting it.

Sometime later in the master bedroom, the door to the bathroom opened with a large cloud of steam, followed by the porcine diva. She had wrapped her body in a sky blue bathrobe, and her wet hair up in a pink towel. She finally didn't feel so filthy after all the traveling and performing.

She walked over to her open suitcase and grabbed something to change into, when she then noticed the white double doors just left of the bed. Her heart jumped when she looked at them. She knew what was behind those doors, and she hadn't thought about it in years. She quickly dropped what she was holding and walked over to them.

Piggy opened the doors without hesitation and turned the light on inside. As the space in front of her lit up, she leaned against the doorway with a sigh of relief and a hand on her heart. He hadn't changed this, either.

It was the walk-in closet that she had installed for them. And in it, every single piece of clothing that she had owned before her move to Paris. After the... day that will not be mentioned, she had decided it would be best to start over, including a new wardrobe. She had left everything behind in the states, clearing the condo and moving only the essentials to the other side of the world in order to relocate as quickly as possible.

She always thought that Kermit would have cleared and changed this closet of all things, erasing her from his life just as she had done. But no. He had kept this too, storing her away in a closet where he couldn't find her. But because of this, she was still undeniably present in his life, wan't she?

Some time later, Miss Piggy finally settled herself under the covers and turned off the light. She rested her head on an inviting pillow, pulling the covers up to her chin. Her hair was now down and straight, having been previously dried. She tried to close her eyes and sleep, but the feeling of the empty bed kept her wishing that Kermit could have been here with her tonight. If only she hadn't opened her mouth earlier and pushed him away even further. He had been so distant that evening, and she knew it was probably all her fault. He was troubled, and she clenched the sheets in frustration at the thought of this. She desperately wanted to hold her frog close and let him know that she needed him, too. She sighed, feeling helpless. She forced her eyes to close, praying above all else to have Kermit-less dreams tonight.

As the night drew on, both the pig as well as the frog were surprised that they still had the energy to be awake as they did tonight. After a long day of rehearsals, chaos and putting on a show, one would think that they'd be exhausted. But no, the thoughts they were both having had kept them awake, still.

On the other side of the house, Kermit had become restless. The more he tried not to think about Piggy, the more he thought about her, and the more frustrated he became with himself. He tried to think of something, anything besides her. He thought about the gang, now sleeping in the theater, but that only made him feel a rush of guilt. Here he was staying in a nice house with privacy and warmth, while everyone else was sleeping in the cold, empty theater in their hand-made beds. After everything they'd been through, he could have at least tried to find better lodging for them. Then again, they didn't seem to mind too much when he had left.

And then he thought of Piggy once more. He sighed, also feeling guilty for leaving her alone like that in her room. He could have at least been a little more hospitable towards _her_. In fact, a part of him didn't even know why he had stopped himself from letting her kiss him.

It's not that the idea of kissing her was repulsive. Far from it. He knew he wanted to be with her. He _did _want to kiss her. He wanted more than kissing, in fact. He wanted to hold her tight and tell her how sorry he was for everything he had done to hurt her in the past. It somehow didn't feel right until he'd get the chance to do just that. His only fear was the chance that it could all go horribly wrong.

Kermit was becoming more and more restless. This relaxing bath was no longer relaxing. Even the soothing feeling of the warm water wasn't enough to calm his nerves anymore.

"Good grief," he muttered out loud. He sighed a heavy sigh, and eventually he found it pointless to stay in the tub.

He stepped out, dried himself off, wrapped himself in his dark red bathrobe, and then quietly made his way down the hall to the stairs. He thought of knocking on the bedroom door to see if Piggy was still awake. But as he stopped in front of it, he noticed that the lights appeared to be off from the other side, and assumed that she had already fallen asleep. He continued on his way, leaving her to rest.

But unbeknownst to him, Piggy was very much awake in the darkness and had heard his every move. She heard him stop in front of the door and her heart skipped a beat. Had he changed his mind? Was he going to open the door? Was he going to come to her after all? But then her heart sank as she heard him continue to walk away and go downstairs, leaving her alone in the dark.

Then after a few more minutes of pondering, she began to find it pointless to stay in bed as well.


	5. Chapter Four

**CHAPTER FOUR**

Kermit entered the dark kitchen and turned on the light. As soon as he could see, he looked to the clock on the wall. 3:25 in the morning. He let out a defeated sigh. If he didn't rest soon, Piggy would be up long before he was. He had to find a way to get some sleep.

He looked around at the large, unused kitchen. Everything was dusty from years of neglect, with cobwebs still hanging in some areas. He walked past the marble countertop and opened a nearby cupboard, remembering there was a bottle of red wine in here somewhere that had long been forgotten about... ah ha!

Kermit grabbed the dark-colored wine bottle, still half full from whenever he opened it last. He blew off the light layer of dust on the label. Barossa Valley Shiraz. Originally imported from Australia, and no doubt very expensive.

_Good thing I didn't pay for it_, Kermit thought with a grin, remembering that Piggy had stalked the house with many assortments of food and drink before she left for Paris.

He grabbed the nearest wine glass he could find and then made his way to the living room. Sitting on the green and gold striped couch, he pored himself a glass and took a quick sniff and a light sip, hoping that it had aged well over the years.

It had. The subtle, musky flavor of aged grapes was a _very _welcoming taste. Kermit sighed with satisfaction. He could already feel the alcohol soothing his nerves, and he was beginning to relax at last. A glass of this and he'd be ready for sleep in no time.

He took a few more sips and looked at the room around him. The last time he was here, his new friends Gary, Mary, and Walter had just revealed to him Tex Richman's secret plan to drill for oil, and only moments later they had all made the decision to find everyone and do what it took to save their beloved studio and theater.

Kermit looked down at the table in front of him, seeing that there was an unfinished game of solitaire still sitting there. He set the glass down as he started to remember where he had left the game off a while back. He began to move a few of the cards, trying to see if there was a way to finally finish it while he waited for sleep to take over. Maybe it would be a good distraction for him, too.

He played the game for a short while, but then he pulled up the Queen of Hearts, and soon found himself thinking about Piggy all over again. He grunted with frustration. The wine was not quite taking the effect he wanted it to. He still wasn't tired yet. Kermit tried a few more sips, then shook his head in disappointment, knowing it was no good.

His irritatingly troubled thoughts were keeping him wide awake. Why had he invited Piggy to stay in this house with him? All she had done since she arrived in town was distract him. What was he going to do with her here? He wanted nothing more than to make things right again... so how was having her here to tempt him making anything better?

Kermit had forgotten about the card game by now. His mind began to focus more on how the day would start off tomorrow. Would he wake up to find her in the kitchen eating breakfast? Or would she sleep the whole day through? Would she greet him with a wide smile when she saw him? Or would she avoid his gaze just like she had done several times that evening?

He almost began to dread the morning. Even though his entire career... no, his entire _life _was built on the unexpected, he absolutely hated surprises. He wished he could see exactly what was going through her head. Earlier she had agreed to stay here for him, and she seemed quite eager to work on their relationship, but she didseem somewhat doubtful that evening. She was very quiet and distant, needing her space. This was a big change for them both after all, so how could he expect her to just be okay with everything all at once?

What if Piggy changed her mind tomorrow and realized that what he had done to her in the past was unforgivable, no matter what he tried to say or do? If that were the case, he knew he couldn't blame her. After all, the last time they had spoken before this week was when he had caused her to run out of his office in tears, leading to many years of emptiness and heartache.

_No... not that,_ Kermit pleaded in his head. _Please not now..._

But it was too late. The painful memory was impossible to ignore.

Kermit had been sitting alone in his office that quiet, late morning. Scooter had already left on an early lunch hour, so Kermit had some time to himself for a while. He had been looking over the ideas that he'd been passing around with his colleagues, wondering what exciting project he and the other Muppets would be working on next.

He then heard a car drive up outside. He assumed it was Scooter, but immediately realized it was far too early for him to be back yet. Kermit then heard the sound of the car's door open an close, and heels quickly rushing up to the door.

_Oh no..._

"Kermie!" Piggy cheered as she swung his office door open. She waved a black and white picture at him. "Our first photo as a married couple!"

Kermit dropped his head to his desk. After they did the wedding for _The Muppets Take Manhattan_, she had been teasing him constantly over the past few weeks about how they were now married. But he had been through this with her over and over again. The wedding was just a scene they filmed for the movie.

"Piggy, we're not really married!" he reminded her. "You need a real priest to be…"

But then he stopped, and it all suddenly came clear to him as he put two and two together. Originally, Gonzo had been cast as the priest, but Piggy had hired some other guy to play the part. And that other guy wasn't an actor. He was a real priest! So he had really married them in front of everyone and on screen for the world to see.

"Oh, no," Kermit said with fear. "You didn't?"

"I'm so happy," Piggy carried on talking as though she couldn't hear him. "Let's share our joy with ten of the world's leading publications!"

She grabbed her husband and threw open the office door to a pack of paparazzi and flashbulbs popping everywhere.

"Kermit!" one shouted. "How does it feel to be married?"

The confused and scared frog tried to block his vision from the flashing lights. Piggy just smiled, thrilled by all the attention.

"Kermit!" bellowed another reporter. "Are you going to move into the house Piggy has built for you?"

Kermit quickly closed the door on them.

"Piggy!" he yelled. "I thought the wedding was just part of the movie?"

The pig paused and frowned. "But aren't you happy?"

"You're supposed to ask someone before you marry them! Not _trick_ them!" Kermit was getting mad. Madder than a frog should ever get. "Why must you always pull stunts like this, Piggy?! This is the last straw!"

"Oh, Kermie." Piggy smiled and sighed happily. "Our first argument as a married couple."

The frog had taken all he could take, and he could take no more.

"Piggy you are fired!" he shouted. "Fired, fired, fired!"

Piggy gasped. "You can't replace me."

"Watch me," Kermit replied.

Piggy was shocked by his words. What was he saying. "But I'm your wife!"

"You're NOT my wife!" Kermit shouted, panting. "You'll never, ever, _ever_ be my wife!"

Piggy gasped and fell silent. She stared at Kermit. Kermit stared back at her. He was stunned by the words that had just come from his mouth. As a tear trickled down Piggy's cheek, she quickly held up the photo from their faux wedding and tore it in two. Before the frog could say another word, she turned on her heels and flounced out of the office.

"Piggy, wait, I-" he tried to call to her. He knew he'd gone too far, been too harsh, and it was too late. She was gone.

Kermit recalled the memory and almost couldn't take it. That was the moment that had started this whole painful mess. He clenched his robe over his chest, trying to force the memory away.

_It's alright_, he helplessly tried to reassure himself. _Everything is okay now..._

Yes, it was wonderful that the gang was back together again, but he still couldn't help but feel responsible for bringing so much grief on everyone. Especially her.

"I'm sorry," he whispered out loud, dropping his head in his other hand. How could he ever forgive himself for everything that's happened?

_I shouldn't have had that wine,_ he thought to himself with regret.

Kermit tried to hold back the tears and clenched his robe tighter. His heart felt like it would soon explode. He felt alone and lost, and he didn't know what to do. In fact, he was so lost in his train of thought, he didn't even hear the soft footsteps coming from the hallway.

"Kermit?"

An all too familiar voice was addressing him and he immediately looked up to see the beautiful lady pig standing in the entryway, looking to him with concerned eyes.

"Piggy?" he asked, startled. He immediately sat up straight at being in her presence.

"What on Earth are you doing up?" she asked with confusion.

Kermit didn't answer. He was too stunned by the fact that she was actually here at this time of night. He noticed her hair was now down and straight, probably from taking the shower earlier. Her figure was wrapped tightly in her pink laced robe with white fluffy trim outlining the cuffs and opening. Only Miss Piggy could pull off a robe like that anymore, and even Kermit couldn't deny that she looked absolutely...

"Gorgeous," he said under his breath just as she was approaching him.

"What?" she asked.

"I, uh, couldn't sleep," Kermit replied, finding his words. "Piggy, what are _you_ doing up?"

"I couldn't sleep either. I heard you come downstairs... and I wanted to make sure you were alright."

"Oh, well I'm fine, I was just... uh..." Kermit looked at the unfinished solitaire game, wine bottle, and glass that rested on the table. He didn't know how to finish that statement.

Piggy followed his gaze. "Is that wine?" she asked.

"Yeah. I thought it might help me sleep better."

Piggy gently took the glass in her hand. "May I?"

"Sure, please..." Kermit offered, although a little hesitant.

Piggy took a quick sip, and Kermit watched her expression, curious as to what she thought of the aged drink. She did nothing but ponder for a few seconds, but then her face frowned.

"Kermit, what is this stuff?!"

The frog scrunched his face. "It's Shiraz."

"It tastes awful! Where did you get this?!"

"From you. You left it here, don't you remember?"

Piggy examined the wine label and her face suddenly changed from disgusted to surprised.

"Oh... Are you kidding me?! In Paris they never would have settled for anything as distasteful as _this_!"

Kermit shook his head, remembering that Piggy had been spending years in a country that produced some of the best wine known to man. There she went again, always needing the upper hand.

"I'm sure you had your fill over in Paris, didn't you?" he asked mockingly.

"You better believe it, buster," Piggy said with confidence. "But, I suppose this will do for now."

Piggy quickly grabbed the wine bottle and began to pour herself a new glass. Kermit watched and hesitantly thought of stopping her. Letting Piggy drink wine in her tired state was probably not the best idea in the world. But he said nothing. He knew it was not wise to object to the high and mighty pig, especially at this time of night. She soon finished poring the wine and set the bottle on the table.

"Do you want to sit down?" Kermit offered.

"Oh, yes, thank you," Piggy said sweetly, quick to change her mood as usual.

The frog moved over so that Piggy was now sitting just left of him. As soon as she settled herself on the couch, she took another silent sip from the wine glass.

Kermit watched her finish and then turn away to look around the room, avoiding his gaze. He couldn't help but notice that she looked undoubtedly beautiful sitting next to him. Maybe it was the wine talking, but he couldn't deny that had it been a more appropriate time, he would have loved to take her in his arms and kiss her sweetly, and whisper comforting things in her ear.

Yes, that _would_ be wonderful.

"So neither of us can sleep, huh?" Kermit asked, breaking the silence.

"I noticed you haven't changed much," Piggy said, not listening to his first statement.

Kermit was confused. "I haven't?"

"Well, the furniture and the interior decorating, I mean." She was talking about the house.

"Oh, that. Well, I guess I thought if I changed anything, eventually you'd come back and you'd... ya know, 'hi-ya' me or something."

Piggy shrugged. "You could have changed the furniture if you wanted."

Kermit nodded, not knowing how to respond. Piggy noticed he wasn't saying anything, and turned to him with questionable eyes.

"Kermit, are you sure you're alright?" she asked boldly.

He forced a smile for her. "Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

"Well... earlier, you said good night so quickly, I thought maybe something was wrong?"

Kermit thought about the attempted kiss, wondering if that's what she meant. "No! No, of course not, I just thought you were tired, that's all."

"Well yes, I was, but..." She was hesitant, not sure that she should continue. "I thought maybe you had left because I..."

She became quiet, and Kermit saw in her eyes that she was thinking exactly what he was. He shortly stared into those deep blue eyes, resisting several urges that he had been pondering that evening. He embarrassingly looked away, knowing he did not deserve to look at something as radiant her.

Piggy noticed his nervous withdrawal, and immediately touched a gentle, gloved hand to rest on his shoulder.

"Kermit?"

He responded to her in silence, resting his own hand over hers.

"Oh Kermie, I didn't mean to make you upset," Piggy explained. "I promise I wasn't-"

She went silent as he gently pushed her hand away, much to her dismay.

"Piggy... I've really missed you a lot," Kermit said admittedly. "I'm honestly still trying to grasp the fact that you're really here..."

The awkward tension in the room was bombarding its' way between them.

"You and I both know we have a lot to talk about," he continued. "I was just thinking... it may be best that we keep our distance for a while. I mean, just until we know we're okay, right?"

Piggy was somewhat hurt by this statement, but she reluctantly held back, knowing that he was probably right. She had to do her part to make things right, too. "Yes, of course. I think that would be best."

Kermit nodded. "Well... We're both awake now," he said with a warm smile. "Do you want to just sit and talk for a while?"

Piggy felt surprisingly comforted by this. "Yes. I'd like that."

"Just until we're ready to finally get some sleep?"

Piggy took one more sip of the wine before giving him a warm smile of her own. "Yes. Let's talk."


	6. Chapter Five

**CHAPTER FIVE**

And so they talked. For over an hour the pig and frog talked. If they had become tired, neither seemed to acknowledge or notice it. They were too busy enjoying the time they were finally sharing to care. In fact, time no longer seemed to have any purpose as they became completely lost in the late-night conversation.

Miss Piggy did most of the talking. She talked passionately about Paris, about how she found jobs in modeling and fashion over the years and eventually worked her way up to becoming an editor. Kermit didn't say much, but once in a while offered sounds of acknowledgement, and even brought up a few related experiences that he thought were worth mentioning. But even though he didn't say much, Kermit really was just happy to listen. He was glad to hear that Piggy's life had been fulfilling and productive, unlike his.

Watching her chatter on, Kermit couldn't help but smile throughout the entire conversation. He had missed her so much more than he had expected, and so much more than he had wanted to. Seeing her sit next to him on the couch, enjoying each others company... it was just like old times.

Many a time in the past he had found himself in her dressing room or at her condo with the vulnerable lady pig confiding in him with conversations of comfort. He had even found himself confiding in her once in a while, which would often lead to more trouble than he ever meant to get himself into. But regardless, those were some of the best conversations he'd had in his life, and these were the moments he had missed the most.

"Kermit?"

"Oh, yes Piggy?"

"It has been such a long time. Do you think _Moi_ am still beautiful?"

"Piggy, you look more gorgeous every day that I see you," Kermit said without hesitation. "You've always looked beautiful."

"Really?" She was obviously touched. She knew she did not really need such affirmation from him, but she still enjoyed hearing it, especially since it had been so long since they'd seen each other.

"Well," Kermit said with a confident smile, "you don't think I would let just _any_ beautiful pig have her own dressing room now, do you?" Even if he too knew she was just seeking attention, it was all in good, modest fun.

Piggy giggled at his flirtatious quip, and Kermit smiled, glad that their playful banter had helped ease the tension between them. They had already shared quite a few laughs together that evening, and quite a few glasses of wine, for that matter. Kermit worried that this might have been the one problem, considering how much they had consumed in the last hour.

He was trying desperately to not notice how magnificent she was. To be in the presence of Piggy's cheery personality again was so wonderful. She made him feel more relaxed than any glass of wine ever could. And she really did look incredible. Even though her figure was wrapped in her pink-laced robe, everything about her was absolutely divine. The white, fluffy trim on the opening and cuffs also kept distracting him. Somehow, it made her seem even more delectable than she already was.

He gulped, wishing he could kiss her soft lips and hold her in his arms. He also wouldn't have minded slipping that robe of hers off and taking her somewhere quiet...

_Calm down_, he thought to himself. _Don't let the wine hit you too hard._

He had been the one taking sips from the wine glass for a while, and right now he wished he wasn't the one holding it. As if she read his mind, Piggy gently took the glass from him and took her own sip. She knew it wasn't such a bad taste, once she had gotten used to it.

"A frog giving a pig her own dressing room?" she asked playfully. "I don't know... seems pretty unusual."

"Well, I am a very unusual frog, after all," Kermit said, smiling.

"An unusual frog with unusual ideas? I'm sure I couldn't imagine a such a thing."

He chuckled. "Those unusual ideas got us all somewhere, didn't they?"

"For a while they sure did," Piggy said teasingly before taking another sip of the wine.

Kermit's smile faded slightly, and he turned his face away. He knew she didn't mean it, but the comment still crushed him a little inside. Miss Piggy saw this and immediately tried to recover.

"For the record," she said as she set the glass on the table, "I happen to like this unusual frog with unusual ideas."

She gave him a genuine, comforting smile. Unfortunately, this only seemed to crush Kermit even more. He turned back to her, staring once again at those ocean-blue eyes. She looked like an angel sitting next to him, her blonde hair glowing like a halo. He knew he was not worthy of her angelic presence.

"You're too good for me, you know," Kermit replied flatly.

Piggy shrugged, still smiling. "Probably."

"No... You are, Piggy."

He was becoming serious, and she was starting to notice.

"And why would you think that, Kermie?" Piggy asked, her smile fading.

"Because I know I haven't always been fair to you. I've said and done a lot of things that I regret, Piggy. Whenever we really needed you for the show or movies, if you were in a doubtful place, I used say things that I knew would keep you around. I've made you do things that I know I shouldn't have..."

Piggy shook her head. "Kermit, I _wanted_ to perform with you. You never made me do anything."

He wasn't so sure. "Maybe... But I know that you and I... we've also done things that... well, only two people who really love each other should do. And I think sometimes we used to just get caught up in the moment, and not because..."

The subject was starting to make him uncomfortable. But Piggy smiled at his shyness, knowing what he meant.

"Well, don't be so hard on yourself," she said with a playful giggle. "After all, _I_ loved you."

Kermit smirked sarcastically. It wasn't like he didn't know this, but it was comforting to see that Piggy was trying to make light of the conversation.

"And I know you loved me, too," she pressed on.

Kermit suddenly became interested. "And why would you think that?"

Miss Piggy paused for a second, thoughtfully, and then she continued.

"Because I knew you cared deeply for me. Well, yes, we'd argue and you'd deny that we could ever have anything more than a friendship or a professional relationship, but I also knew that you enjoyed my company and found me attractive. Once in a while I'd catch you watching me when I performed. You'd get incredibly defensive whenever I tried to flirt with you in public. You always wrote us as a couple in our films. And... in the way you'd sweet talk me, I could just hear it. Even if you wouldn't admit it to me or yourself, I knew that deep down you loved me..."

Kermit listened to her list the reasons and nodded. He really could beat himself up right now for not always being honest with her. He knew one of his worst faults was not being able to say how he really felt about these sort of things.

"And it was very easy to make you jealous," Piggy finished with a smile.

Kermit lifted his head at this. "Jealous?! W-What do you mean jealous?! If anyone was jealous, it was you, Piggy! Do you know how many times I had to pry you off of the male guest stars because you were the one trying to make me-"

Piggy watched him react, and she shook her head with a sly smirk on her face. Kermit saw this and immediately stopped, seeing in her eyes that he wouldn't win this debate even if he tried. He tugged at his red robe and shifted his weight uncomfortably, avoiding her gaze. It didn't feel good having her beat him in an argument so quickly.

"Kermit," Piggy said softly, changing mood, "do you mind if I ask you something?"

"What?" he replied with a calm, but frustrated grunt.

"Well, all those years ago, when we were in your office... did you really mean it when you said I would never be your wife?"

Kermit was surprised that she had brought this up. He didn't say anything at first, feeling she had just asked an incredibly loaded question. Still, she did deserve an answer, even if this wasn't the most appropriate time to discuss it. He crossed his arms in discomfort and tried to think of the most honest answer.

"Maybe I meant it at first," he said, still looking away. "I don't know. I guess I was angry. And people who are angry... they sometimes say things that they don't normally mean. I didn't want to fire you or say those things... But Piggy, at that point I was so fed up with feeling like I couldn't trust you anymore. I know that's not an excuse but-"

"No, it's not," Piggy said defensively, standing her ground.

Kermit began to tense up. Was she not going to let him finish? He went on, keeping his cool.

"Piggy, you know I care about you. I always have. You're one of my closest friends. But you have to admit, you were out of line with this whole arranged wedding you put together behind my back."

Miss Piggy frowned at this.

"I was not out of line," she protested. "I was _tired_ of waiting for you. I was tired of putting my life on hold, and I couldn't wait for you to make up your mind anymore. I had to do something to make you realize how you felt. So, yes, I made a decision. When we filmed the wedding scene for the movie, I hired a real priest and made sure our marriage was valid. I built a house for us, I made sure everything was perfect... But, when you said..."

Kermit took a deep breath. He knew this was coming.

"When I said what?" he asked.

"When you said... that I would never be your wife, I realized what a fool I'd been to think you would accept things as they were. I know it was wrong to trick you, but I also couldn't believe that after everything we'd been through, you'd say such awful words to me..."

Kermit heard her voice beginning to break, but he was not backing down. He wasn't going to let her overdramatic nature put a soft spot on the conversation.

"Piggy, did you really think that I would be okay with you having us wed behind my back?" he asked sternly.

Piggy thought about this for a moment. "I knew that you would probably be surprised. I knew you might possibly be a little angry. But I never expected you to react the way you did."

Kermit sighed. He knew talking about these things hurt her, but he still felt he had to get this off his chest.

"Piggy, you... you can't just do things like that and expect-"

"Kermit!" Piggy almost yelled, and she quickly stood on her feet in a frenzy, pacing the floor. "I know it's crazy, but back then I thought... once you found out we were married, you would realize how happy you were and you would go along with it. But then you were so nasty... and I didn't know what else to do..."

Kermit turned to watch her. "Piggy, I know I probably embarrassed you-"

"I was humiliated!" She walked behind the couch, looking everywhere but at him. "I couldn't face you again after that! I had to get away... and I moved everything to Paris as fast as I could, before you'd find out that I was leaving. I couldn't stand being here. I had to go to a place where everything didn't reminded me of you..."

Still facing away from him, Piggy now stood next to the piano. She saw how dusty it was, just like everything else in the house.

_Is there nothing in this house that's clean?!_ she thought with frustration.

It looked as though no one had played or tuned it in years. She then turned her attention to the framed photos that sat on top of the piano, many of them of Kermit with friends or celebrities. Seeing that there was no escaping his eyes no matter where she looked, she turned to the window in front of her instead.

"And Paris was the best place for that?" Kermit asked, staring at the back of her head.

Piggy nodded, looking out the dark window. "Yes. But before I left, I immediately filed for the annulment..."

Kermit could hear more hurt in her voice. He knew this wasn't easy for her to admit.

"I know," he said. It hurt him to admit it too.

Piggy continued. "When I hadn't heard that you finished the papers, I thought, maybe you never received them, or maybe you didn't want to sign them after all. But when I found out you did, that's when I promised myself I'd never come back. I had no reason to anymore."

Kermit nodded. "I thought it would be the best way for me to stop thinking about you. I thought it would be the best for us."

"I didn't file the annulment because of you, Kermit," Piggy chimed in. "Well, I suppose partially, but it was never about what was best for us. It was about what was best for the Muppets. I meant it when I said I came back here for them. Back then, I didn't see a reason to stay if all I was doing was causing trouble for you and everyone else."

"Yeah, and look at where that got us," Kermit muttered in frustration, remembering that everyone had gone their separate ways after she left.

He suddenly stopped and wondered if he'd gone too far, knowing it probably wasn't fair to throw that at her. After all, he was the one that had drove her off in the first place. He half expected Piggy to spat some sort of witty if not harsh comment back at him, but she remained silent. Kermit continued to stare at the long, blonde hair on back of her head, looking for any possible sign of a response.

Piggy had heard his words, but she continued to stare out the dark window. She was thinking about his confession from earlier that evening, when he finally admitted that he missed and needed her, and then later when he asked her to stay. She remembered that she had been absolutely overjoyed, and it was probably the most true and romantic moment that had ever come between them. She may have come back to help her friends and save the studio, but she could not deny that she needed him just as much as he did, and that was why she chose to stay when he asked.

So why was he making this so difficult? Why was he making the situation more uncomfortable than it needed to be? For that matter, how could he not see all of this on his own? Why did she always have to be the one to tell him like it is? Why?! Why did he have to be such a stupid frog?!

Piggy suddenly cut herself off guard as a small whimper of vulnerability escaped her throat. She immediately covered her mouth, forcing herself not to make another sound. She refused to cry or show any weakness, and she hoped that Kermit hadn't heard her.

But of course he had, and he knew that the conversation had gone on long enough. He had hit a nerve and it was time to pull back. It pained him to see her hurt like this.

"Piggy I..." he wanted to apologize, but he knew the words would not come out right if he tried. In the awkward silence, he let out a weak chuckle instead, trying to find humor in the situation. "You know, when I said we should talk, I didn't imagine it would be like this."

Piggy found control and let out a frustrated huff.

"Yeah, well," she said with a sniff as she folded her arms, "these things never really turn out the way we want them to, do they?"

Kermit assumed she was referring to the predicament they had gotten themselves into, and knew he probably deserved that. But despite all odds, he was determined to reach out to her.

"Piggy, please come back here and sit with me."

She heard him, but she did not move.

"Please...?" Kermit pleaded. He had to make her feel better somehow.

Piggy turned her head only slightly in acknowledgment, and she clenched her robe in frustration, knowing she couldn't resist his request. Still avoiding eye contact, she slowly made her way back to the front of the couch. Kermit moved so that she was now sitting just to the right of him, with still quite a bit of space separating them.

Piggy kept a hand over her face, trying fiercely to not let any tears escape. Kermit saw this, and he desperately fought the urge to wrap his arms around her. Instead, he stayed where he was, fearing that she may fling him across the room if he tried.

"Piggy, can I get you anything?" he asked. "Maybe some water-?"

She shook her head. Even in her stubborn state, she did not want him to leave her side.

"Well," Kermit continued, "is there anything I can-"

Piggy quickly pointed to the glass of red wine on the table where she had left it. Kermit reluctantly offered it to her, and she nearly snatched it from his grasp. She took a few sips, feeling a little better, and handed the glass back to him. She then wiped the barely-escaping tears from her eyes and took a deep breath, doing everything she could to keep it together.

"I know you cared for me, Kermit," she said, still looking away. "But I also know that in your heart you felt the same way I do."

Kermit looked at her. "Piggy, I never said I-"

"Even if right now you won't admit it... I _know_ that you loved me..." she softly insisted.

Kermit heard her, and he then realized this was probably the most sincere he had ever seen her. She wasn't being dramatic, she wasn't making things up. She was speaking out of tenderness. She was being... serious.

"Piggy... I'm so sorry," he said as he too turned away, ashamed. "I can't tell you how many times I wished I had handled things differently. I know you must hate me for everything I've done to you. Why else would you just up and leave and never talk to me again?"

Piggy turned to look at Kermit, watching him with guilt in her eyes.

"No," she replied, shaking her head and looking down.

Surprised, Kermit turned to her again, curious as to what she meant.

"No, Kermit. I was very... angry. I was angry with you, angry with myself for pushing you away... I was angry for a long, long time. But I could never, ever hate you. That is impossible..."

Kermit nodded and looked away, nervously taking a sip from the wine glass. He was avoiding her gaze again.

"What?" Piggy asked when she saw this, wondering if she had said something wrong.

"Nothing," Kermit said, setting the glass on the table. "I just... I'm just really glad you're here, that's all."

Kermit smiled and rested a hand on hers in reassurance. He found himself looking into her eyes again and he felt a sudden calm settle over him. For the first time in years, just staring into her eyes brought so much peace and made him feel at ease. All of the tension from the previous weeks completely melted away just from staring into her deep, sparkling blue eyes.

Piggy also found herself looking into the eyes of her frog. It was always so hard to not get lost in those eyes. Those big, curious, kind, wondrous eyes. And that face. That handsome, green face she had fallen in love with the first time they met. Every part of him made her feel comfort and tenderness, forcing her heart to ache with want. She was unable to look away. She couldn't stop. She could no longer keep it in...

Piggy gently gripped the collar of Kermit's robe, pulling him closer to her. She puckered her lips and lightly touched them to his. Kermit, although hesitant, stayed in the kiss for a few seconds before he broke it and turned away.

"Piggy we said-"

"Forget what I said..." There was a soft command in her voice, and she delicately moved her hand to his cheek, forcing him to look her way.

They were so close to each other now. So close that if he just moved an inch forward their lips would touch again. And Kermit, completely entranced by her hypnotic eyes before him, didn't say another word. For there was a command in those eyes as well. A command that said, _I know you want it, too, now don't hold back_. He gulped, and finally letting instinct take over, he decided to obey.

Slowly the two leaned in for another kiss, unable to deny the sweet temptation. Their lips touched again, and Piggy kept her hand on his cheek, doing what she could to encourage him that this was okay, and that this was right.

Whatever she was doing, it seemed to be working. Giving in to the kiss, Kermit brought his hand up to the back of her head, and Piggy's body trembled as she felt his fingers soothingly brush through her soft hair and massage her scalp.

They could taste the wine on each others lips, but that only made them want this even more. They moved into a closer embrace, feeling the warmth of their bodies against to each other. The kiss became more passionate as their hearts began to beat faster with anticipation.

Piggy moved her hand from Kermit's cheek back to resting on his chest. She began to slip her fingertips between his robe and bare skin, moving it away and exposing his green chest.

Kermit felt her doing this and, still in the kiss, moved them both to lie on the couch, resting her head on one of the cushions. He grabbed the belt of her robe and began to loosen it. He had wanted to get this thing off her all night and the excitement was killing him. Without any patience he slipped it open, eager to see what she had underneath. He pulled away to find a very skimpy but still somewhat sweet, purple, lace negligee draping her delectable figure.

"Oh, wow," Kermit observed with a smile before immediately plunging his lips back on to hers, making her giggle with happiness. She knew exactly how to turn him on.

But then a thought suddenly struck him. It occurred to Kermit that they had just gotten carried away again, like they had done several times in the past. He stopped, breaking the kiss to look into her eyes. Piggy quickly met his eyes with surprise and concern in her expression, wondering why he had stopped.

"Kermit what's wrong-?"

"Piggy what are we-?"

They had tried to intervene at the same time. In the immediate silence, Piggy looked at Kermit, waiting for him to finish. But he didn't. Instead, he briefly looked at the laced material of her negligee that outlined her chest, and then back into her eyes.

He wondered, had she worn this negligee just for him? Or was it possible that she wore it regardless of the situation at hand? The Piggy he knew a long time ago would not have normally worn something as risqué as this, except for on "special occasions". To be fair, it _was _possible that since her move to Paris, this had now become her normal evening wear. Either way, it seemed undeniable still that this _moment_ was for him, wasn't it? She said that she always knew he loved her, so was it possible that she had been waiting all these long years for him to finally return to her? Was it possible that she had even worn this in case they found themselves in the present situation? Yes. Yes, it was.

It was for him. It was _just_ for him. It was _always_ just for him. She may have come back to Los Angeles to help her friends, but she had always been ready in case her love finally decided to announce his devotion to her, just like she always believed he would. And as soon as he told her that he really did need her, she was finally his all over again.

On one hand, Kermit was struck with happiness at this realization. He felt very gratified that Piggy was here in his arms, reaching out and wanting to be with him. But on the other hand, he was also struck with fear. The fear that once this was over and their minds were clear, she would still get the wrong idea and leave, no matter what he said to try to keep her here. No matter what her intention, he couldn't let this go on. He had to keep his original promise, and he refused to take any kind of advantage of her.

With a heavy sigh, Kermit carefully removed himself from Piggy's embrace. He adjusted his robe and regretfully turned himself away from her. Piggy sat up too, confused by his withdrawal.

"Kermie?"

Her sad tone was heartbreaking to him.

"Piggy, we shouldn't do this. Not now. We said we would be good. Plus we've been drinking... and, um..."

He was starting to run out of excuses.

Piggy looked at her frog from where she was, realizing that he was holding so much back just for her. Her heart ached at watching him hurt like this. Yes, perhaps there was still more that needed to be said between them, but for now, she knew that she had heard enough to trust him, and she knew he did not need to suffer anymore.

"Kermit, have you missed me?" She was wrapping an arm around him from behind.

"You know I have."

"Do you need me?"

"Of course I do." He placed a hand on hers. "But-"

"Do you want me?"

Kermit cleared his throat, trying not to choke as she asked this question. More than anything he wanted to show her how much he cared for her. Both verbally and physically. Of _course _he wanted her, but that wasn't the point. The point was that they should be setting a good example for each other... and...

Kermit felt her warm lips begin to kiss his neck and almost couldn't take it.

"Kermie," Piggy spoke softly in his ear. "It's okay... I'm right here..."

He heard her, and there was something in her voice that suddenly compelled him to trust her. He groaned as he felt her continue to kiss his neck and cheek, still trying so hard to resist. But then he gripped her hand, knowing it was impossible to do so.

"Piggy... sweetie..."

He felt one final kiss from her on his cheek before she parted from him, standing up from the couch and moving into his view. He looked up at her, saddened that she had left his side. But she smiled at him reassuringly.

She began to back away and slip her hand from his, until she finally let go, leaving him sitting there, awestruck by her beauty. Her blonde hair framed her face beautifully. Her robe was open. The negligee draped her body perfectly. Her legs were in full view. And now she was backing away from him. Kermit stood, knowing he had no choice but to follow.

Piggy leaned against the doorway, smiling at his obedience. Grabbing the belt of her robe, she did a lazy twirl with it, just to tempt him even more. Kermit chuckled as he approached her, knowing the game she was playing with him. He reached out to hold her, but just as she was within his grasp, she quickly turned and walked away even further.

Kermit was dumfounded for a second, but then Piggy turned back, urging him to follow. Once more she turned away, heading for the stairs. Kermit shook his head with an amused smile.

"What a tease," he said to himself with a sigh.


	7. Chapter Six

Reader's Warning!

This next chapter is pretty much just what happens next... in other words, A LOT of cuddling and kissing! And more... It's gonna just be a chapter of mostly kissy-kissy and ush-gush. If you don't like that, you may want to wait for the next one. However, if you decide to skip this chapter you will miss an important key point or two.

Are you ready? You've been warned! If you don't like Pig and Frog cuddling, then don't read this next chapter! You ready? For those of you who do... ENJOY!

**CHAPTER SIX**

As they entered the dimly-lit bedroom, Miss Piggy backed away from Kermit as she slowly made her way towards the bed. She kept eye contact with him, gradually letting her robe slip off her shoulders and onto the ground, not caring where it landed. She now stood only wearing her delectable, purple negligee and a pair of silk, lavender gloves that seemed to match so perfectly. Kermit, closing the door behind him, watched her seduce him on her way to the bed in the dim light. He followed, unable to control his desire to be close to her.

Piggy reached the foot of the bed and crossed one ankle over the other, teasing him. With a smile and a twinkle in her eye, she sat in a position that appeared to say, _Come and get me, Frog_. As Kermit approached, he wrapped his arms around her waist and quickly brought her into another passionate kiss, forcing his lips upon hers. She gladly accepted this and placed her gloved hands on his shoulders, gently massaging them as best she could. She moved away and repeatedly kissed his cheek, neck, and shoulder, slowly easing his own robe off.

"Kermie…" she whispered with delight in his ear as she massaged further down his back.

Hearing her voice made his body quiver. Kermit nuzzled his cheek against hers as he felt her lips nibble down to his neck and collar. He groaned, taking in a deep breath and-

Oh wow… She smelled _wonderful_.

"Oh, Piggy…" he murmured, craning his head upwards and pulling her closer, taking it all in. He could feel her soft hair brush against his cheek, her lips on his shoulder, and her firm hands rubbing his back.

As she continued to please him, Kermit decided to return the favor. As best he could, he slipped the straps of the negligee off her shoulders and let them hang as he began to place desperate kisses on her soft skin.

Piggy moaned softly into his shoulder as she felt him do this. He began to kiss her neck, too, making her gasp and melt in his arms. He could feel her surrendering to him and he almost couldn't take it. He wanted her. He _needed_ her. He wanted and needed to _please_ her.

Kermit stopped and placed his finger tips under her chin, turning her to meet his eyes again. He quickly brought his lips back to hers and without preamble, he brought them both down, pinning her to the bed. But before he could continue, Piggy quickly reacted. All while keeping their lips locked, she flipped the frog onto his back so that now she was the one pinning him down. She shifted, careful not to put too much weight on him, but snuggled her body as close to him as she could.

Kermit didn't mind being forced down like this. Her hair hung down and surrounded him like a tent, making him feel safe in her arms. Still in their embrace, they scooted to the head of the bed, only breaking away for a brief second to comfortably settle themselves.

Miss Piggy lay the head of her frog on an inviting pillow and relaxed herself, hovering above him. Kermit continued to kiss her soft lips from where he was, as well as give light kisses on her cheek and neck. Piggy closed her eyes and enjoyed the feeling of his warm lips touching her. The sensation nearly brought tears to her eyes. She relaxed and drew herself closer to him. She loved every bit of knowing that he cared for her, wanted her and needed her, and that she could protect, please and take care of him just as well.

Kermit kissed her lips again, feeling the warmth of her body against him. Piggy responded in kind, and she placed a gloved hand on top of his, motioning it up to her chest. Kermit inhaled sharply at first, startled, but then relaxed when he realized what she was doing. His hand was being placed right over the warm, center of her chest where he could feel the beating of her heart. And... wow... it beating _fast_! Kermit broke the kiss and looked up at the stunning Piggy, seeing the want and desire in her face.

Piggy smiled at him warmly. Being here like this, she felt very happy and complete. It was so wonderful to have her frog in her arms again.

"I love you, Kermie," she said with a sincere smile.

Kermit heard her say this and searched her eyes, saying nothing for a short moment. He felt her heart pounding from excitement under the palm of his hand, and he suddenly realized what a gift, and what an absolute privilege it was to have her here like this. In fact, he may very well be the luckiest frog in the world. She was really here, surrendering herself, body and soul to him. Before this week, he never thought in a million years that he would see her again, or that she would take him back the way she was doing so right now. But she was. The lady pig that he had thought of every day since they met had given everything up, just for him.

He was so proud of her. This was an amazing, magnificent woman who had always done her best to keep her life accomplished and satisfying. A diva, yes, but no doubt the most important diva in the world. After she left the Muppets for good, as horrible as the turnout was, she had still gone on to lead a life that had fulfilled her, and she never lost sight of who she was. She was a strong, independent woman at heart who deserved everything the world had to offer her, and more than anything, he knew he wanted to take care of her. Realizing this, he suddenly couldn't understand why he had let her slip away for all these years.

He knew she could have chosen anyone she wanted. Any man, any celebrity, any of the lovers she might have had in Paris. But even after all this time, in the end, she had chosen him of all people- or frogs- to be with. After every bit of hurt and deceitfulness he had put her through, she was still here. Holding him, protecting him, forgiving him. _Loving_ him. And all it had taken was for him to tell her how he really felt. That he needed her, and that he did want her to stay... for _him_, and no one else.

But even that was not enough. Kermit knew he did not deserve her still, and probably never would, but until he told her exactly what was on his mind, he could not accept her like this. He searched her eyes again, and used his free hand to gently stroke her soft cheek.

"You didn't let me finish," he said.

Piggy looked down at him with surprise. "What?"

"Earlier... When you said 'Even if right now you won't admit it, I know that you loved me'... I was trying tell you that..." He paused and gulped, wanting this to come out just right. "Piggy... I never said I didn't love you."

She stared at him, her mouth gaping open. Was he...? Did this mean...?

"I love you, too, Piggy," Kermit finally said with a smile. "It's always been you, always."

Miss Piggy said nothing and stared into his eyes. For the second time that night, she was speechless and at a loss of words. Could this really be true? She had waited years, decades even to hear him say these words. She always knew how he felt, but now, hearing him say it for the first time, suddenly she couldn't even find her voice.

"Oh... Kermie," she finally said with a shudder and a choke in her voice, noticeably taken aback and overjoyed to hear his confession. The frog that she had admired, loved, and cared for so deeply, finally just said everything she had ever wanted to hear.

In the time they had known each other, he had always shown the signs. It was in the way he took care of her. In the way he nervously avoided her. In the way he'd romance her. At times he would say "I love that about you," and, "I loved your performance," or probably the most obvious from earlier that evening, "Maybe you don't need the whole world to love you. Maybe you just need one person." But he had never, ever, _ever _once said the words "I love you" to her face in that order.

But he just did. He loves her. Kermit loves Piggy. _He_ loves _her_!

Piggy's heart was racing now. She covered her mouth with her hand and sighed deeply, not sure what to say. She continued to absorb his recent confession and was still.

Kermit noticed this. He felt the fast-paced beating of her heart under his hand, and he knew what she was thinking. As carefully as he could, he rolled them both over so that now she was on her back again. Piggy did not object to this, still starring into his eyes with wonderment.

Kermit looked at her again and could see it in her eyes that anything he might have asked of her right now, she probably would have done it. He knew how strong her love for him was, and he knew his intentions had to be decent.

"Piggy, we don't have to do this now," he said. "I only want to be fair to you... and if-"

"No," Piggy protested, suddenly out of her trance. "I want this, Kermie. Please..."

Kermit sighed. He needed her to understand. "Piggy, I've been such a jerk to you... in the past and this evening... I don't deserve you-"

"Don't!" Piggy demanded as she sat up, hugging him close to her. "Don't you dare!"

Kermit was now sitting up with her. He felt her hair tickling his skin, and her warm body against his. He shook his head, holding her close. "Piggy... you deserve the best. And I know I'm not-"

"Yes, you are," Piggy insisted, pulling him away and looking into his eyes. "I do deserve the best. That is why I have _you_."

Kermit shook his head. "But how can you say that, Piggy? After everything I've done to you-"

"You mean, after everything _we've_ done to _each other_?"

Kermit stopped and sighed, looking into her eyes. He knew what she meant. She was just as guilty as he was for being deceiving in the past, too. But he had forgiven her. So why shouldn't she?

"Kermit, do you love me?" Piggy asked.

"Yes... of course," he said.

"Then what does it matter?"

Piggy rubbed her gloved hand over his, placing it over her heart again. She had waited so patiently for this moment for so many years. Even tonight, if he wouldn't have said it, she would have waited as patiently as she could for the frog to finally say the magic words. All she ever _needed_ to know was that he needed her, but now that he had given her more than she had asked, the waiting was finally over. For this, she was not about to let him slip away from her so easily.

Even if he found it hard to agree, Kermit realized it was useless to complain. Not only was she _the_ high and mighty pig, but she had also taken him back, and he did not want to be a stupid frog and ruin this again. Instead, he wanted to focus on making her happy, and that's what he was going to do. This was not a time to question or regret anymore. This was their moment, and he was going to make the best of it. Maybe someday soon he'd be able to forgive himself, the way she was doing so right now.

"If you say so," Kermit said, defeated.

Piggy smiled. "Yes, I do... And I love you."

Kermit nodded with a smile. It was such an amazing feeling to hear her say this again.

"I love you, too, Piggy." It was amazing to say it to her, too. "And if the Pig says so, then I guess that means-"

Piggy growled. "Watch it-"

Kermit quickly kissed her lips and stopped her, bringing her down to lie on her back once again. They soon parted and he looked down at Piggy with a smile, whilst she looked back at him with puzzled eyes. Kermit remained silent and continued to keep his hand on her beating heart, massaging it tenderly. He then began to place kisses down her lovely body. He kissed her forehead, her cheek, her lips, the top of her chest, and he kissed her stomach, even with the negligee blocking his way. With every kiss, a soft whimper came from Piggy's lips. She had forgotten about the argument, and was now enjoying the sweet, sensual pleasures he had to offer her.

Kermit continued to lovingly kiss down her curved figure, until finally he came in contact with her bare knees. Feeling bold, he used his free hand to lightly graze up her strong, beautiful left leg. He then slid his fingers under the negligee, and began to ever so gently pull it up, placing light kisses up the top of her thigh where it had once been. Piggy griped his hand on her chest and gasped, feeling his lips once again on her sensitive skin. It began to reawaken new, invigorating sensations she hadn't felt in a very long time.

For the remainder of the night, the two continued to hold each other close and became one beneath the covers, kissing and caressing with every bit of desire they had. They rocked and held one another tightly as though they would slip apart if they didn't.

More than anything, Kermit enjoyed hearing the gasps and soft cries in his ear as they went on through the night. The beautiful goddess that lay with him in his arms was almost too good to be true. Several times she would call out his name in desperation, and that would only make him want to please her even more.

Being with her made him remember what a gentle lover she was, not once being demanding of any verbal or physical comfort. Suggestive, yes, but never demanding. Even so, he was perfectly confident in his ways of romancing her, as he always was.

Miss Piggy had not forgotten her ways of pleasing Kermit, either. Even though she had abandoned the gloves and negligee some time ago, she continued to unconditionally let him in and surprise her lover even more with her sensuous lovemaking.

She looked absolutely radiant. Kermit, in a way, still felt unworthy of this, but more than anything, he was grateful that she was here. He had been given a second chance to make right, and she was allowing him to do so with nothing to hold back. This was the Piggy that only he got to see. The Piggy that was vulnerable and unconditional. An open book that he was free to discover all the secrets of, and he could think of no better place in the world he would rather be than right here, in her arms.

They whispered comforting things to each other. They embraced the _heavenly_ feeling of being close. They even took the occasional moment to stop and look into each others eyes, and Kermit couldn't help but soothingly push Miss Piggy's hair away from her face when they did this. There was nothing but unconquerable love and affection in her eyes, and seeing this made his heart melt with bliss and gratitude. Piggy also knew that the love in Kermit's eyes were sincere, and she held him gently in her arms, marveling at her frog. As they stared into each others eyes, they'd exchange content smiles and words of love, and then they'd very quickly continue to longingly please and comfort each other further into the night.

The two continued their lovers' dance for quite some time, until much later, when after a final, high-decibel climax, they finally broke apart and collapsed onto the bed, gasping for air. The two lovers starred up at the ceiling, lying under the sheets and catching their breath. They both stayed that way for a short while, taking in the quiet moment and absorbing everything that had just come between them.

"Oh, Kermit… that was wonderful," Piggy replied with a satisfied sign, her chest heaving from exhaustion.

"Wow…" That was all that came from the frog as he continued to catch his breath.


	8. Chapter Seven

**CHAPTER SEVEN**

Miss Piggy looked at herself carefully in the reflection of her vanity mirror. Her body was once again wrapped in her pink laced robe with white, fluffy trim, keeping her snug and warm. She sat comfortably on the vanity's matching stool, and she gently combed a soft brush through her hair. With her free hand, she moved a few strands away from her face, wanting to look her best, even before bed.

A few minutes prior, Kermit had left the room to get ready for bed. She had tried to convince him not to leave, but he reassured her that he would be right back, so she had no choice but to let him go. After a few long minutes of waiting, she already missed him terribly, and she hoped she wouldn't have to wait much longer.

Piggy stopped brushing her hair for a moment as she thought of everything that had happened that evening. She smiled and delicately touched her fingertips to her lips, remembering how sweetly Kermit had kissed and held her. More importantly, her heart began to flutter as she remembered the first time he told her he loved her. It hadn't even been that long ago. Less than an hour, in fact. But it somehow felt like it had happened a long, long time ago. Perhaps that was because she herself had known it to be true all along, but he only chose now to admit it. Either that or it had just felt like a very _long_ evening. She sighed happily, shrugging it off. Either way, she absolutely delighted in being right.

Piggy smoothed and brushed her hair a few more times before resting the brush on the vanity table. As soon as she did this, she heard the bedroom door open from behind her. She immediately looked up and made eye contact with the her _petite grenouille_ in the mirror's reflection. She turned around, meeting his eyes again and smiled, happy that he had finally returned.

Kermit, wrapped in his dark red robe again, closed the bedroom door behind him and made his way into the room. From where they were, the frog and pig made eye contact again and continued to look at each other for a brief, quiet moment. They each thought of saying something, but instead they stayed silent, absorbing the calm tension in the room.

In the silence, Piggy glanced at the bed, and decided that it never looked more inviting. She gracefully stood from the vanity and walked in it's direction, looking back at Kermit and urging him to do the same. The frog saw this, and without hesitation, he followed.

The two now stood on either side of the bed, facing each other. After briefly making eye contact once more, Kermit reached to loosen and remove his robe, ready to finally retire for the night. Piggy watched, noticing that under that robe he had changed into his white flannel pajamas with the golden pattern on them. She carefully loosened the belt of her robe as well, reaching to remove it. Kermit looked and soundlessly gulped, wondering if she had bothered to change into anything else while he was gone.

As Piggy opened her robe, Kermit relaxed when he saw that she now wore a new negligee. This one was a red color, but not nearly as risqué as the first. While the other one was laced and even a little transparent, this one was made of silk, and it covered more skin than the original. It was more modest, and much more sleep appropriate. Still, it was not any less alluring, and Kermit wondered if he'd be able to hold himself back still.

Miss Piggy noticed that the frog was staring as she put her robe down. Kermit saw this and quickly made eye contact with her again. Piggy let out a soft giggle, and he sheepishly smiled back, embarrassed. And then they both saw the same idea in each others eyes, and they silently made their way into bed and under the covers next to each other.

Kermit reached to turn the light out on his nightstand. As soon as the room was dark, he immediately felt a gentle arm wrap around him, pulling him close to the warm, inviting figure beside him.

"Kermie," Piggy said contently into his shoulder. "Kermie, Kermie, Kermie..."

He turned to face her. "Mm?"

"All this time... I've missed you so..." She cuddled herself closer to him.

Kermit wrapped his arms around her as well. "Oh Piggy," he said, holding her protectively. "I've missed you so much. You have no idea."

Piggy giggled. "Mm... I think I have a pretty good idea."

They both rested their heads on the pillows, lying on their sides and embracing under the warm comforter. They paused, looking into each others eyes in the dim light.

Unable to resist, Kermit moved forward to delicately touch his lips to hers, and placed a comforting hand on Piggy's shoulder. She returned this and kissed him back, holding her frog gently. The kiss was not forceful or overly passionate. Instead it was very sweet, tender, and perfect for this particular moment. They soon parted and sighed deeply, both feeling excited from the kiss alone.

"Piggy... that was..." Kermit couldn't find the right word to describe everything that had happened in the last hour.

"Amazing?" She finished his sentence with a smile.

Kermit smiled back, and he placed his hand on her cheek. "Sure, I guess that's a good way of putting it."

He grazed her soft skin with his fingertips, admiring her gorgeous features. Piggy enjoyed this, and she turned her head to lovingly kiss the palm of his hand.

"Piggy, are you okay?" Kermit asked, rubbing her cheek.

"Of course," Piggy replied, as though it were a silly question. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well... Are you sure we didn't just make a mistake?"

"Shhh," she cooed softly, and she hugged him close. "No. It felt _right_, Kermie."

Kermit nuzzled his cheek against hers. "I know it did. I just want to make sure that you're-"

"Yes, I am," Piggy reassured him, rubbing his back. "You're sweet to worry, but I promise, this is what I wanted." She moved her hand to his chest, rubbing it softly. "Besides, don't you feel better now?"

Kermit nodded, and he moved to lie on his back, looking at the ceiling in the dark. He sighed deeply. "I definitely feel more relaxed."

Piggy used her other hand to prop herself up. "You were nervous at first."

Kermit smiled, looking at her. "Well, only for your sake, of course," he replied with confidence.

"Awww," Piggy murmured adoringly.

She moved so that now she was hovering over him, and she placed her lips on his again, cupping his chin in one hand, still supporting herself with the other. She also moved her legs to lightly entangle with his. Kermit returned this, hugging her close. He felt the cool, silk negligee that draped her body under his hands, and he gripped it longingly. Having her hold him, Kermit felt protected and safe, and he knew he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy this. But even in the passionate embrace, he also felt tired and exhausted.

"Piggy," he said in between her kissing. "Shouldn't we sleep? It's late."

Piggy ignored him and continued to kiss his cheek.

"Why should we bother?" she asked teasingly. "It'll be morning soon."

"My point exactly," Kermit groaned.

"Mm..." Piggy kissed further down to his neck.

"Miss Piggy, you're trying to seduce me," Kermit whispered playfully.

The lady pig giggled in agreement, and she kissed him more fiercely.

"No, Piggy," Kermit protested, realizing that his comment hadn't helped. He gently tried to push her off him.

But this only made Piggy hold him tighter. She attempted to kiss down his neck even more, but was soon disappointed as his pajamas blocked her from going further.

"Piggy," Kermit objected more sternly, knowing what she was trying to do.

Piggy whimpered in complaint, but finally she decided to listen and moved back to Kermit's side. She cuddled herself close, all while nuzzling into his shoulder as best she could.

"You're no fun," she growled, wrapping an arm around his shoulder.

Kermit looked at her, amazed. "How on Earth do you have this much energy?"

Piggy giggled. "Who needs sleep when I can have fun with you, Kermie?"

Kermit suddenly became interested, and he smiled at her mischievously. "You mean, despite you not wanting me to take advantage of you? Or even despite the fact that you came here for everyone except me?"

Piggy moved to look into his eyes. "I didn't come here for everyone _except_ you, Kermit."

"Are you sure? Because earlier you said-"

"I know what I said."

Her tone was suddenly harsh. Kermit was pushing her buttons, and that's just what he wanted.

Piggy shifted uncomfortably. "And I didn't think you would try to take advantage of me. Not after what you said at the theater."

"Which part? About needing you, or about you staying?"

She shrugged. "Both."

"Oh really?" He moved in closer, still smiling. "Even after you made it perfectly clear that you didn't want me to-"

"Kermit!" Piggy turned herself away. "I'm _aware_ of what I said!"

"Piggy, Piggy, I'm _teasing_," Kermit said, snuggling against her back.

The lady pig let out an irritated huff, folding her arms. He could really get under her skin when he wanted to. "You're on thin ice, Frog!"

Kermit ignored her, and he proceeded to delicately kiss her neck from behind. Piggy was not pleased.

"Kermit, I'm warning you-"

"Shh..." he said, silencing her. "Did anyone ever tell you that you're really cute when you get defensive...?"

Piggy stopped and frowned. Where was he going with this?

Kermit kissed her neck again, and he whispered to her with a dreamy sigh. "But as cute as you are... you, my dear, are not the vulnerable pig I knew all those years ago on _The Muppet Show_. Are you?"

"Hmph! I should think not," Piggy said, rather proudly. "I'm also not the weak, easily persuaded pig you knew, either!"

"No," Kermit said, agreeing. "This Piggy is more beautiful..." He kissed her neck again. "More marvelous..." And again. "More secure..." And again. "More gorgeous..."

Piggy let out a soft moan as he continued to kiss up her neck. The calm, warm feeling of his lips tickled her skin. She shifted, wishing he would stop. It was becoming harder and harder to resist.

"Piggy," Kermit went on. "You know that being vulnerable does not make you weak." He slid his hand down her arm. "You're allowed to be vulnerable with me. You know that..."

Piggy was still doing her best not to give in. "Yes," she answered hesitantly.

"I don't ever want you to suffer, or feel guilty, " Kermit said. "I know you're a performer, and you feel you need to be strong in front of everyone. And I would never want to change that, but you know it's okay to let go with me..."

Piggy listened. He really had changed since the last time they were together.

"I'm right here, Piggy," Kermit said as he kissed and rubbed her shoulder.

Miss Piggy sighed, deciding he deserved a break. She reluctantly turned back, looking to him with a pout. "I know that. I do not want my frog to suffer either, you know."

"Hm... Is that why you came back?" Kermit asked with a light chuckle, looking down at her. He was attempting to provoke her one last time.

"Yes," Piggy finally admitted.

Kermit's smile faded, and he looked at her with surprise. He was not expecting this.

"For everyone. For you. For the studio..." Piggy smiled back at him, allowing herself to open up. "I couldn't stay in Paris not knowing if you'd be okay." She closed her eyes, taking in the wonderful feeling of being close to her frog. "I have always been in love my Kermie. And I will always come back for him, if he needs me."

Kermit looked at her from where he was, and he gently stroked her blonde hair. He was at a loss of words.

"And... I've always been in love with my Piggy."

Piggy's heart skipped a beat, and her eyes fluttered open when she heard him say this. She parted from Kermit and gradually sat up. She searched his expression, trying to figure out if she really heard what he just said. Kermit sat up with her.

"Piggy?"

She didn't answer. Looking into his eyes, Piggy felt a burst of emotion hit her inside, and she couldn't stop herself.

Kermit noticed the tears welling up in her eyes. "Piggy what's wrong-?"

The pig quickly held him close, letting her vulnerable emotions poor out. "Kermit! All this time... What took you so long? Why did you not tell me sooner?!"

Kermit felt her shaking and held her as best he could. He could not think of a good answer for either of those questions.

"Piggy... I hate to admit it, but you were right. I _do_ love you. I always have. I just didn't realize it until this week."

"I know," Piggy replied. Her tone was sympathetic, not boastful. "I always knew... but why did you not say anything earlier this evening? Why did you wait until we...?"

Kermit sighed, knowing he didn't have a good excuse. "I wanted to tell you, Piggy," he admitted. "I wanted to kiss you and hold so badly. But I didn't want to ruin anything. I wanted to tell you when it was right. You seemed like you needed your space... I didn't want you to think I was using you by jumping in bed together so fast..."

Piggy nodded her head, understanding. "I had a feeling... I didn't want to scare you, either. Or make you think I was being forceful. I know that back at the theater I got carried away-"

"Shh, Piggy," Kermit said, silencing her. He moved to meet her gaze. "I know. We've both been incredibly stubborn."

Piggy smiled weakly and nodded her head, agreeing with him.

"I guess that hasn't changed much," Kermit continued with a light chuckle. And then his smile fell. "But Piggy... I lost you once before... I'm not doing it again. I can't... I won't..."

Kermit swallowed and looked away. He couldn't bare the thought of it.

"Then you won't," Piggy replied, her voice breaking.

Kermit looked at her, seeing the new set of tears that had fallen on her cheeks.

"Oh Piggy... I'm right here."

He wiped away those tears with a delicate hand, seeing the unconquerable devotion and love in her sparkling eyes. Looking into those eyes, Kermit knew now that he'd been a complete fool to think that she had had any doubts that evening. The only time she ever had a doubt in the world was when he did not accept her heart completely. But now that he had, she was all his. He leaned in and kissed her gently, reminding her that he wasn't going anywhere.

"Piggy, I love you."

Miss Piggy's heart was racing at the sound of these words. "I love you too, Kermie."

She brought him into another warm embrace, holding her frog tightly. She began to lovingly place several kisses on his cheek and lips. It was slow at first, but then she to began to kiss him more frantically. She couldn't help it. She was so happy and overjoyed to hear him say those words, and she knew she could probably keep doing this until the next morning if she wanted.

"Piggy," Kermit interjected, feeling a little smothered, "you're tired."

Piggy stopped her kissing frenzy and sighed into his shoulder. "Yes, perhaps you're right."

"We've been awake for almost twenty-four hours straight," he continued. "We can talk about this later..."

Kermit felt her nod her head and finally part from him. She sniffed a few times, finding her control.

"Are you okay?" Kermit asked, stroking her arm.

Piggy wiped away the remaining tears and turned to him with a weak smile. "Yes, I will be."

Kermit nodded. "Come on. Let's get some sleep."

Miss Piggy obeyed, and they lay down together, both resting their heads on a soft pillow. Kermit lay on his back, while Piggy cuddled herself close, resting on her side with her head nuzzled into his shoulder, and a hand placed over his chest. This was a very comfortable position for them both.

"I'm fine now," Piggy reassured him.

Kermit couldn't help but still notice a hint of sadness in her voice. Was it possible that there was something she wasn't telling him? He wanted to know if everything was alright, but he also knew it would probably be best that they got some rest before discussing it. Both of their minds needed to be clear before they discussed anything right now.

"Piggy, you know I'm right here," Kermit said softly, taking her hand in his. "If you need anything."

Piggy smiled. "Yes, I know. As am I, Kermie." She placed a final kiss on his cheek before closing her eyes. "Sweet dreams, Mon Capitan."

Kermit nodded. "Good night, Piggy. I'll see you in the morning."

Piggy felt very happy at the thought of these words, too.

"Yes, you shall," she said as she lightly squeezed his flippery hand.

Kermit heard her, and suddenly a wonderful feeling surged inside him. He realized now that he would get to see her _everyday,_ if he wished. She would be here to stay with him. She would be here tomorrow, and the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that...

Kermit was also very happy at this thought. He smiled contently and squeezed her hand back, reassuring her that he was here. If something was wrong, he was positive now that they would be able to work through it. As long as Piggy was here, he knew he could do just about anything.

Before long, Kermit heard the soothing sound of Piggy's soft breathing, and he knew that she had fallen asleep. He carefully looked at the clock on the nightstand. 6:05 AM. He then looked to the window and saw behind the curtains that the day was almost here. He knew this because the sky had turned to a light grayish blue, signifying that the sun was just starting to come up. He sighed, knowing that they had been very bad for staying up all night. But when he looked at his girl and saw the aftermath, he knew it was worth it. It's not like they had to be anywhere tomorrow anyway.

Kermit took a brief moment to admire the sleeping beauty next to him, letting it sink in that the night was over. He made himself comfortable at her side, and before long, a peaceful, long awaited sleep, finally took over.

He heard a loud ringing noise, and Kermit immediately woke with a start. It was silent now, and he frantically looked around, trying to figure out where the loud noise had come from. He saw that he was still in the master bedroom, lying under the warm sheets. Bright sunlight was coming from behind the curtains, and Piggy was still resting peacefully beside him. Although she had shifted slightly in her slumber, the noise had not disturbed her.

He heard the loud ringing again, and it only took Kermit a brief second to realize that it was coming from the phone on the nightstand next to him. Noticing that Piggy's arm was draped over his chest, Kermit carefully removed it and moved her back to her pillow, careful not to disturb her. In sleep she didn't seem to mind, as she hugged the pillow close and her eyes stayed shut.

The phone rang once more. He turned and saw that the intercom light was blinking, which meant that someone was calling from inside the house. He quickly picked up the phone, hoping the sound wouldn't wake Piggy.

"Hello?" he said groggily into the receiver. He looked at the clock on the nightstand. 10:15 AM.

"Mr. Kermit," the '80s Robot announced from the other end, "there are some guests at the front door to see you."

"Guests? What guests, '80s Robot?"

It had better not be a group of fans. It was way too early in the day to deal with that.

"Mr. Gary, Mr. Walter, and Ms. Mary are waiting here for you, sir," the robot confirmed.

Kermit suddenly became very alert at the news of his friends being downstairs. "Oh! Tell them I'll be right down."

He quickly hung up the phone and leaped out of bed, despite his tired state. He threw his robe on and headed for the bedroom door. But then he stopped and turned back, seeing Piggy sleeping soundly in their bed. He walked back to her, knowing that she could possibly wake up in a panic if he was not at her side.

He lightly pulled her hair away from her face, and his heart began to beat at a faster pace, remembering the events of last night. The words they said. The confessions they made. The feelings of being so close. Looking back, it almost felt like it had all been a dream that was too good to possibly be true. But no, her being here was living proof that it had all been very real.

"I promise, I'll be right back," he assured the sleeping Piggy, kissing her cheek. He brought the covers up to her shoulder, making sure she was tucked in safely. He smiled as he looked at her, almost wishing he didn't have to leave. As soon as he felt comfortable leaving her, Kermit exited the room, and closed the bedroom door behind him.


End file.
